Trade News

Minutes of the Sarnia CBSA/Customs Brokers meeting held on 22 September 2011 are now available on the Ontario Region page of the CSCB members site. To access, please go to our website at www.cscb.ca, login, and look under “Regional Activity”. __________________________________________________

The following is excerpted from a 26 October 2011 new item by the World Trade Organization. The General Council today paved the way for Vanuatu’s membership in the WTO by approving its accession package. Vanuatu would have to ratify the deal by 26 April 2012 and would become WTO’s 154th member 30 days after the ratification... This release is available in its entirety at: http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news11_e/acc__26oct11_e.htm

The following is excerpted from a 26 October 2011 news item by the World Trade Organization. The WTO’s report on G-20 trade measures, issued on 26 October 2011, said that “disappointingly weak growth in some G-20 countries and continuing macroeconomic imbalances globally are testing the political resolve of many governments to abide by the G-20 commitment to resist protectionism”. It said that “the situation is not yet alarming, but it is clearly adding to the downside risks to the global economy”...

The following is excerpted from a 26 October 2011 release by Statistics Canada. A 50-year-old worker in 2008 could expect to stay in the labour force 3.5 years longer than in the mid-1990s, according to an indicator that tracks the retirement behaviour of Canadians. Using Labour Force Survey data, this indicator estimates the number of years a 50-year-old worker can expect to work before retiring, if retirement rates of a given year prevail. Expected working life is estimated using a method similar to that used for calculating life expectancy...

The following is from the 24 October 2011 edition of the Journal of Commerce. With HMT controversy swirling, U.S. ports, railroads push for a new container tax to close the ‘land border loophole’ One country’s container tax is another country’s trade barrier. A coalition of six major U.S. West Coast ports and two major railroads argues that the U.S. should collect a tax on U.S.-bound containerized cargo that lands at a foreign port to make up for losses of Harbor Maintenance Tax revenue.

The following is a 25 October 2011 news release by the Department of Finance Canada. The Honourable Ted Menzies, Minister of State (Finance), today reiterated the Harper Government’s call for strong, united and decisive leadership, particularly from Europe and the Group of Twenty (G-20) countries, to deliver immediate and credible strategies for strengthening the global recovery... This release is available in its entirety at: http://www.fin.gc.ca/n11/11-105-eng.asp

The following is excerpted from the 25 October 2011 edition of CBC News. Finance Minister Jim Flaherty says he's not expecting a recession in Canada, but will be flexible on the issue of stimulus spending if conditions worsen. Flaherty made his comments Tuesday at a news conference in Ottawa after meeting with private sector economists to consult on their expectations for growth... This article is available in its entirety at:

Members may be interested in the following, published on 26 October 2011 in Part II of the Canada Gazette. 1. Under the Farm Products Agencies Act; Regulations Amending the Canadian Chicken Marketing Quota Regulations. http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2011/2011-10-26/html/sor-dors224-eng… 2. Under the Farm Products Agencies Act; Regulations Amending the Canadian Turkey Marketing Quota Regulations, 1990.

The following is excerpted from a 25 October 2011 release by Statistics Canada. Retail sales rose 0.5% to $37.8 billion in August, largely offsetting the decline in July. Gains were reported in 6 of 11 subsectors, representing 70% of retail sales. The increase was led by higher sales at gasoline stations and motor vehicle and parts dealers. In volume terms, sales rose 0.3%. This release is available in its entirety at:

GST159, Notice of Objection (GST/HST) has been updated and is available on the CRA website at: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pbg/gf/gst159/gst159-11b.pdf __________________________________________________

Serial No. 795 This Notice refers to items 94 and 95 of the Import Control List (ICL), namely live broilers for domestic production, being fowls of the species Gallus domesticus, weighing not more than 185 g, that are classified under tariff item No. 0105.11.21 or 0105.11.22 in the List of Tariff Provisions set out in the schedule to the Customs Tariff and hatching eggs, for broilers, of fowls of the species Gallus domesticus, that are classified under tariff item No. 0407.00.11 or 0407.00.12 in the List of Tariff Provisions set out in the schedule to the Customs Tariff.

Serial No. 794 The purposes of this Notice are to inform importers of the Minister’s policies and practices respecting the administration of the tariff rate quota (TRQ) for Broiler Hatching Eggs and Chicks for chicken production, and to invite applications for quota shares of the Broiler Hatching Egg and Chick TRQ available for allocation for the period January 1 to December 31, 2012. This Notice is available in its entirety on the Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada website at:

The CBSA has updated BSF613, Summary Reporting Program Application Form. It is available on the CBSA website at: http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/forms-formulaires/bsf613.pdf __________________________________________________

Serial No. 808 The purposes of this Notice are to inform importers of the Minister's policies and practices respecting the administration of the 4,345,000 kilogram (kg) tariff rate quota (TRQ) for products of natural milk constituents and to invite applications for quota shares of the 4,345,000 kilogram natural milk constituents TRQ available for allocation for the period January 1 to December 31, 2012. This Notice is available in its entirety on the Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada website at:

Serial No. 807 The purposes of this Notice are to inform importers of the Minister's policies and practices respecting the administration of the 332,000 kilogram tariff rate quota (TRQ) for yogurt, and to invite applications for quota shares of the yogurt TRQ available for allocation for the period January 1 to December 31, 2012. This Notice is available in its entirety on the Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada website at:

The following is excerpted from a 25 October 2011 news release by The Conference Board of Canada. Amid an uncertain economic climate, Canadian workers can expect average salary increases of 3.1 per cent in 2012, the Conference Board revealed at its Compensation Outlook conference today.

The following is excerpted from a 25 October 2011 news release by the Bank of Canada. The Bank of Canada today announced that it is maintaining its target for the overnight rate at 1 per cent. The Bank Rate is correspondingly 1 1/4 per cent and the deposit rate is 3/4 per cent.

Serial No. 805 The purposes of this Notice are to inform importers of the Minister's policies and practices respecting the administration of the 3,274,000 kilogram tariff rate quota (TRQ) for butter, dairy spreads, and fats and oils derived from milk, other than butter or dairy spreads, and to inform importers that the TRQ for butter, dairy spreads, and fats and oils derived from milk, other than butter or dairy spreads for the 2011/2012 marketing year has been entirely allocated to the Canadian Dairy Commission (CDC).

The following is excerpted from a 24 October 2011 news release by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada. The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, today announced that the Government of Canada is providing funding to 99 organizations across Canada to support their efforts to attract, retain and expand foreign direct investment in their local communities... This release is available in its entirety at: